Following the deaths of the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three consulate staff on Sept. 11, USIP’s president said, “[Their] deaths remind us all of the courage and sacrifices made by our State Department partners… [It] is a tragic loss for the country and the Institute – and indeed for the cause of peace and stabilization in Libya.”
Richard H. Solomon, outgoing president of the United States Institute of Peace, on Sept. 11, 2012, issued the following statement on the death of the U.S. ambassador to Libya:
Ambassador John Christopher Stevens – Chris – was a friend of the United States Institute of Peace. His death yesterday, during an assault on the American consulate in Benghazi, is a tragic loss for the country and the Institute – and indeed for the cause of peace and stabilization in Libya. From our own experiences in working with him, we knew Chris to be deeply committed to the Libyan people. He was tireless in his support for their efforts to make real their striving for a free, just, and democratic society. It is easy to lose sight of the fact that ambassadors and diplomatic staff work in very dangerous and challenging circumstances. As has been well stated, they are America’s first line of defense. The deaths of Ambassador Stevens and three other consulate staff members remind us all of the courage and sacrifices made by our State Department partners. We deeply mourn their loss, and extend our condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the four Americans killed in Benghazi yesterday.